


Goals

by rose_malmaison



Series: Promise [34]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Angst, Drama, Established Relationship, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Illness, Kid - Freeform, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-16
Updated: 2014-06-16
Packaged: 2018-02-04 20:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1792330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rose_malmaison/pseuds/rose_malmaison
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You're following the doctor's orders?"  "Don't I always?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Goals

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of 'The Promise' series. Written for ncis-drabble Challenge #320. Goals

**Goals**

Gibbs eyed Tony with concern. "You need your inhaler?"

Tony shook his head and concentrated on suppressing a cough. When it seemed safe to talk, he glared at the incentive spirometer and said, "I hate…that thing."

"You're following the doctor's orders?"

"Don't I always?"

Gibbs looked at him in disbelief.

"Well, I am now," Tony conceded. He'd do whatever it took to get healthy enough to carry his baby to full term – Gibbs knew that. "I made it all the way around the block this afternoon," Tony boasted, not mentioning how he'd ended up stumbling into the house, sides heaving.

Gibbs gave a sharp look, but all he said was, "You're doing good, Tony. Better than last week."

"Yeah, well, we need these lungs to be working at 100% so this kid can get born safely," Tony said casually. He'd be lucky if he achieved 80%. Happily, he wasn't dragging the O2 tank around any more, but Brad had made it clear that he would be oxygen dependent by the time his third trimester rolled around.

_"Oxygen consumption will increase due to fetal demand, Tony, putting you at risk for pre-eclampsia and respiratory problems. There'll be a significant chance of pre-term delivery and low birth-weight."_

_"So tell me the bad news," Tony had replied, laughing because it was preferable to falling apart._

"You can do it," said Gibbs.

Tony wished he had just a fraction of Jethro's confidence. "You want to eat? There's a casserole."

"It's quiet. Where is everyone?"

"Tim's mom took Kiyoko and Nicky shopping, and they're staying over. And Tim's doing an all-nighter." Tim had been spending all his time in MTAC, coordinating with his team in Okinawa. Tony said quietly, "Tim won't say so, but I know they need him back in Okinawa."

"He's handling things just fine from here," Gibbs assured him.

"C'mon, he's too important to be stuck here. I'm holding him back."

"Hey, he _wants_ to be here. Accept it. C'mon, let's eat."

Jethro prepared and served the meal and they sat in the kitchen. Tony smiled and said, "It's been a few years but this seems like old times."

"That's a movie…uh, Chevy Chase?" Gibbs asked.

Tony grinned. "And Goldie Hawn."

"I liked the Cary Grant version better."

" _Talk of the Town_ , 1942. You remembered."

"Some things are hard to forget." When he'd finished, Gibbs put his fork down and said, "I _do_ , you know."

"You do what?"

Gibbs cleared his throat. "In the hospital, you asked me if I still loved you."

This was _not_ happening. "Jethro," Tony warned.

"You remember my advice?"

Tony sighed. "Sure, to open up my heart." To _Tim_ , he'd meant. He still didn't know how.

"A man shouldn't offer advice he isn't willing to take himself," Gibbs said matter-of-factly. "So I'm telling you I _do._ Never stopped. That okay?"

Tony's heart beat a fast rhythm when he saw the depth of feeling in Jethro's eyes. _No, it's not okay. It's not okay at all._

< • > end < • >


End file.
